Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Review

Introduction

For the past several years, Xiaomi’s Redmi brand has consistently delivered both affordability and power in a compelling package. And with their latest release, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, the Chinese manufacturer looks to reshape expectations of what a PHP 23,999 phone is truly capable of.

After spending a few weeks testing this device as my daily driver, it’s clear to me that the Redmi team have outdone themselves again in pushing the envelope of value.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Specifications

Here is a table summarizing the key specifications of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G:

Design and Build Quality

Straight out of its box, there’s an immediate sense that the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G steps things up from its predecessors in both form and function. One visual aspect that stands out is the curved display that delivers an elevated premium aesthetic. It’s got a glossy back, which, I’m personally not a fan of, but hey, if it works well here, then so be it.

At just 8.9mm thin and 187g, the smartphone feels slender and comfortable in my palms. The Build quality seems reassuringly robust too thanks to the metal mid-frame, matte glass back and IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Having passed over 30 quality control tests with flying colors, Redmi claims it to be their most durable phone ever.

The 6.67” AMOLED panel hits several impressive notes – a sharp 1.5K resolution with vibrant colors that add that visual zing, up to 1800 nits of peak brightness and slim bezels. Visuals pop and thanks to the adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, transitions, animations, and visuals in general appear more fluid and smoother. Xiaomi has also incorporated eye comfort optimizations in the form of PWM dimming, RGB adjustment and Low Blue Light certification by TUV Rheinland.

Performance

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is powered by MediaTek’s latest 4nm Dimensity 7200-Ultra SoC. You also get 12GB of RAM for some multitasking, and 512GB of storage which should be more than enough for a lot of users. Those with a larger library of files who don’t feel confident about that number, however, may need to look for other options as this phone does not have a microSD card slot.

Mobile Legends

For gaming, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang runs smooth with Frame Rate and Graphics set to Ultra, and Honkai: Star Rail – Medium Settings with 60 fps enabled with no major issues.

Farlight 84

Diablo Immortal

Honkai: Star Rail

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G handled all four games that we threw at it well. And while the FPS graph for Farlight 84 did show occasional dips in FPS, I honestly never felt it in-game.

As for its thermal performance, the device did get a bit warm after a few minutes of gaming (and indicated by the charts), but never to a point where it felt uncomfortable to hold.

Camera

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G’s 200MP main camera uses a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 sensor that can capture excellent levels of detail. Photos do come decently sharp with 2x/4x hybrid zoom, despite the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera.

Xiaomi’s proprietary AI algorithms help to optimize parameters in real time for accurate color reproduction, HDR enhancement and distortion correction, and the dedicated 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lenses allow users to get even more creative with perspectives.

On the flip side, colors can be a bit inconsistent, especially when you switch from the ultrawide to the main, and vice-versa. Dynamic range can also be a bit off at times.

Night shots look great overall, if you’re definition of a good night shot is everything brightened up. 4K videos look decent and stable. There’s still some of that jiggly effect at times, but not that noticeable.

Software

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G was running MIUI 14 on top of Android 13. As usual, Xiaomi’s take on Android is probably one of the best in terms of how you can pretty much personalize or customize a lot of the UI’s elements, adding your personal touch and identity, at least on the software side.

Unfortunately, the price you have to pay for that, is the many pre-loaded apps that you won’t end up using. Not to mention the ads that you get when accessing some of these apps.

On the good side, Xiaomi has introduced a number of AI-assisted features, such as being able to erase objects and people from an image. It works decently for simpler scenarios, but definitely needs work for more complex ones. You can also change the sky in your images to a clear/cloudy one.

Oh, of course, there’s still the question of why this phone still has MIUI when HyperOS is out. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a definitive answer from Xiaomi’s representative, but we’re still hoping that perhaps, maybe in the distant future, this phone will eventually get it.

Battery

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that can easily deliver over 1.5 days of uptime with light to moderate use. When you do need to recharge, the bundled 120W HyperCharge brick was able to recharge my unit from zero to full in just under 30 minutes, which is insanely fast.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G: Verdict

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G successfully brings very welcome upgrades like the 200MP main camera, the curved display and extreme fast charging to an accessible price point. There are also positive incremental improvements coming in the durability, raw performance and software refinement departments.

There are minor rough edges here and there like slightly intrusive ads in some apps, no telephoto camera or wireless charging, and the inconsistencies in color reproduction.

But when you consider the overall package – the premium design, stunning display, photography prowess, and long-lasting battery life, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G becomes a compelling option for those who want the premium experience without spending “flagship” amounts of money.

Emman Tortoza

Website

Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.